Vehicle seat for aircraft and motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a vehicle seat for aircraft and motor vehicles, comprising a backrest ( 10 ) and a seat part ( 14 ), fixed to a seat frame support ( 20 ), which may be connected to a vehicle floor. Said support has at least one support arm ( 40 ), with pivoting combined foot ( 42 ) and leg supports ( 44 ), as separate surfaces of a support piece ( 45 ), arranged on the one free end thereof. Said support arm ( 40 ) is coupled to the seat frame support ( 20 ), at the other free end thereof in a pivotable manner and may be adjusted detent-wise through preset positions. The foot ( 42 ) and the leg support ( 44 ) are arranged on opposite faces of the support piece ( 45 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle seat for aircraft and motorvehicles with a backrest and a seat component which is retained by aseat frame support which may be connected to the vehicle floor, with atleast one support arm which has pivotably mounted on its one free end acombined foot and legrest as particular surfaces of a bracing component,the footrest being employed exclusively in one type of possible pivotingpositions and the legrest being employed in another type of possiblepivoting positions.

[0002] Vehicle seats, air passenger seats or motor passenger seats inparticular, are known in a plurality of embodiments. Modern vehicleseats have a large number of possible settings for the seat componentand the backrest. In addition, good upholstery and armrests increasingcomfort are currently included in the standard.

[0003] As regards leg comfort, however, much remains to be desired.While high-quality vehicle seats such as are used in first class orbusiness class, also have legrests, the leg and foot area has below itin its entirety one support surface as an integral component of theseat. It is only because of cost and space considerations that theconventional solutions in question are not employed for standard areassuch as the economy class in aircraft or for standard seating incommercial vehicles such as buses.

[0004] A vehicle seat of the type in question is disclosed inEP-B-0539444. In this conventional layout of a bracing component, thelatter supports the entire lower leg, including the foot area, of a seatoccupant. The conventional bracing component is connected on both sidesto a support arm, which is hinge-connected to the seat frame support,pivotably and in assignable positions. Individual rest elements areintegrated into the interior of the combined foot and legrest; theserest elements may be folded out from a flat initial position topositions at various angles, so that the feet of a seat occupant may beplaced in different positions at different elevations on theconventional bracing component. Because of the large number of movableand adjustable parts this solution is a complex one and thus costly inapplication. Despite the large number of potential settings, aparticular setting is inflexibly assigned to the occupant of the seat,so that the latter must of necessity remain with a mandatory setting fora protracted period.

[0005] DE-A-4016687 discloses a generic seat layout in vehicles,passenger vehicles in particular, consisting of a seat movably mountedin a vehicle and a pivoting backrest opposite this seat component. Theconventional seat may be adjusted between a reclining position and asemi-kneeling position and the backrest between a vertical position anda reclining position on a common seating axis which is fastenednon-rotatably transversely to the longitudinal axis and more or lessadjustably in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Secured on thefloor of the vehicle, in front of the seat, is a legrest which may bemoved to different swivel positions for use as a foot, shin, or lowerlegrest. The bracing component involved may be vertically adjusted byway of a longitudinally adjustable support arm and the upper supportsurface facing away from the floor of the vehicle assumes the supportfunction exclusively for all the leg areas referred to. By way of anenergy accumulator in the form of an elastic component the bracingcomponent is held in a base position as calf support with a number ofpossible pivot positions. The conventional bracing component may bemoved from this base position against the force of the energyaccumulator to another one of a number of possible pivot positions, sothat the seat occupant may rest in a kneeling position with the front ofhis leg below the knee joint on the bracing component. Consequently, theconventional layout allows the seat occupant to assume a half-kneelingsitting position in a vehicle, something otherwise known only in theoffice furniture area. Since the support arm is to be connected to thefloor of the vehicle in the area of one of the free ends of the arm,this conventional solution is also bulky in design and costly inproduction.

[0006] Hence the object of the invention is further to improve theconventional vehicle seats for aircraft and motor vehicles in such a waythat the seating comfort of such seats is also increased in the footand/or leg area, without requiring an appreciable amount of additionalspace or increased cost. An object as formulated in these terms isattained by means of a vehicle seat having the features specified inclaim 1.

[0007] In that, as provided in the descriptive portion of claim 1, thesupport arm in question is coupled by its other free end to the seatframe support and may be locked in assignable positions, and in that thefoot and legrests are mounted each on opposite surfaces of the bracingcomponent, in the areas of the legs of a seat occupant, which requireespecially efficient support, a combined foot and leg support may beachieved which increases seating comfort and relieves the seat occupantof the task of completing “seating work.” Since both a footrest and alegrest are created with only one support component on their oppositesurfaces, the solution involved may also be applied cost effectively andwith conservation of space; a contribution to this solution is also madeby the circumstance that the support arm with integrated foot and/orlegrest prevents, as demonstrated in the state of the art, supporting ofan entire leg as a sort of couch, accompanied by formation of a totalsupporting surface.

[0008] In addition, an ergonomically obvious adaptation of the bracingcomponent to the human leg may be achieved by way of the pivotable andlockable support arm with bracing component, since the rest involved maybe adjusted immediately at possible pivoting positions, so that evenseat occupants who differ widely from each other in physical size,especially as regards body length, always find an easily adaptable seatstructure. Consequently, exclusively the footrest is formed in oneembodiment of the potential pivot positions, preferably in the form of acalfrest. As a result, the rest in question with its bracing componentmay be polyfunctional in design.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle seat claimed for theinvention the support arm with the foot and/or legrest is mounted to therear below the backrest on the seat frame support, but preferably on thefront side in the leg area of the seat occupant. In the last-namedembodiment it is also possible for the legrest to be designed as acalfrest and to combine its function with that of a separate footrest,which is then to be mounted on the back of the seat frame supportstructure of the vehicle seat in front.

[0010] An especially space-saving design is obtained if only one supportarm is provided, one which is pivot-connected in its center to the footor legrest. Preferably two retaining flanges opposite each other arepresent through which extends a shaft of the support arm and whichreceive between themselves the free end of the support arm. The bottomside of the support arm may in this instance preferably be in the formof a stop surface for the footrest, so that a definitive support forfeet placed on the rest is guaranteed by the stop surface.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the vehicle seat claimed forthe invention the footrest is provided with raised areas such that asort of massage function is performed for the particular seat occupant.In this way the comfort of the seat occupant is distinctly improvedespecially in the event of protracted occupation of the seat during anairplane or bus trip.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the vehicle seat claimed forthe invention has two shanks mounted at an assignable angle to eachother, the shank facing toward the seat frame support, beingpivot-connected to the seat frame support by way of a rotary elementwith a locking feature. In addition to a space-saving design, thisembodiment also guarantees that the support arm with the foot and/orlegrest may be swung to the full extent downward in order to take therest involved completely out of service. In addition, preferablyprovision may be made such that auxiliary bracing of the seat framesupport may additionally be provided for the rotary element with thelocking feature.

[0013] Provision may additionally be made such that a reset spring isprovided at the pivot connection point between support arm and rest;during swiveling movement in the direction of the raised footrest thepretensioned spring during its resetting movement guaranteespower-assisted contact for the particular leg of the seat occupant, sothat active support of the calf is achieved.

[0014] The vehicle seat is described in detail in what follows withreference to one form of embodiment.

[0015] In outline and not drawn to scale,

[0016]FIGS. 1 and 2 present a side view of a vehicle seat, in the formof an aircraft seat in particular, with legrest activated and withfootrest activated;

[0017]FIGS. 3 and 4 present a perspective view of a part of the vehicleseat with available legrest or footrest.

[0018] The vehicle seat, an aircraft seat in particular, shown in FIG. 1has an adjustable-inclination backrest 10 with integrated head rest 12.In the lower part the rest 10 effects transition to the seat component14 proper, in which a female occupant represented in outline has beenseated in the seat illustrated. The seat component 14 is accommodated bya seat shell 16 preferably of a plastic material and has at least onetilting armrest 18, which, in order to enhance seating comfort, is inlowered passenger position in the illustration in FIG. 1. The seat shell16 and accordingly the seat component 14 rest on a seat frame supportmount identified as a whole as 20 which permits fastening of the vehicleseat to a vehicle floor 22 by way of suitable fastening means 24. Thefastening in question, as well as the structure of the seat framesupport 20, are of the state of the art and thus will not be describedfurther in detail.

[0019] The seat frame support 20 consists of a front cross brace 26 andrear cross brace 28 in the area of the backrest 10. The two cross braces26, 28 secure the seat shell 16 at the bottom and thus the seatcomponent 14 over its entire width. Toward the vehicle floor 22 the twocross braces 26,28 are spaced apart by way of supports 30, 32 connectedto each other on the ends by a floor brace 34. A diagonal brace 36,which as viewed in the line of sight to FIG. 1, extends between thelower end of each support 30 and the upper end of each support 32. Theseat frame support 20 is preferably a light-weight construction made inparticular of aluminum materials.

[0020] A folding table 38 which serves the occupant of the followingseat as a table top when the vehicle seats are mounted in a row may bemounted in the rear area of the backrest 10. The design in question asdescribed for vehicle seats, such as that for aircraft passenger seatsor passenger seats in commercial vehicles such as buses is generallyknown and so will not be discussed in detail here. In addition topossible adjustments referred to for the backrest 10, other optionalseat adjustments may be provided, with respect to the seat component 14in particular.

[0021] In the embodiment shown in the figures, there is, pivot-mountedand lockable pivot mounted in assignable positions, in the area of thefront cross brace 26, on the seat frame support 20, a support arm 40which has both a footrest 42 and a legrest 44 in the form of a calfsupport. Hence the rest in question is a multipurpose feature, that is,it may be used optionally either for foot support or for leg support, asdesired by the current occupant of the seat. The width selected for therest in question is such that the seat occupant may optionally place oneleg or foot, but possibly also both legs or feet on the rests. From theviewpoint of ergonomics, then, the seat permits dynamic seating by meansof this rest, so that increased seating comfort even on long flights orover great road distances is achieved, with space conserved and at lowcost. In an embodiment not shown here, as a corresponding modificationof the support arm the rest 42,44 could also be hinge-connected to therear cross brace 28, so that a seat occupant next in the row of seatsmight use the rest for his legs. Preference is to be given, however, tothe embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Both the footrest 42and the legrest 44 thus represent a component of a common bracingcomponent 45, the footrest 42 being mounted on one surface of thebracing component 45 and legrest 44 on the opposite other surface of thebracing component 45 in question. If the legrest 44 is in the form of acalfrest, the associated area of the bracing component 45 may inaddition be shaped so that the requirements of the body outline of thecurrent seat occupant are taken into account.

[0022] In the illustration presented in FIG. 1 the rest has been swungto a position in which it acts as a legrest 44, especially as calfsupport. The legrest 44 is accordingly provided with flexible padding 46which results in greater support comfort and yet permits reliablesupport in the calf area. In the illustration presented in FIG. 2, whichshows a vehicle seat as illustrated in FIG. 1 but one now occupied by amale passenger, the legrest 44 has been swung down and the footrest 42faces upward as the legrest 44 with padding 46 points downward. In orderto achieve reliable support for the foot of the seat occupant, thefootrest 42 is in the form of a solid plate and damage to the softpadding 46 of the legrest 44 underneath is prevented. The rest ispivoted on the front end of the support arm 40 to provide for theswinging movement of the rest referred to above.

[0023] The support arm 40 in question is, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4in particular, pivoted mounted centrally on the foot or legrest 42,44.For the purpose of the pivotable connection referred to, on the footrest42 side two retaining flanges 48 are mounted opposite each other; ashaft 50 of the support arm 40 extends through them so that the free endof the support arm 40 is held between them. The respective retainingflanges 48 divide the footrest 42 into a right and a left support areafor the feet of the seat occupant (see FIG. 2). In the area of the shaft50, spring elements (not shown) may be mounted between the rests 42,44and the support arm 40, so that in both instances the respective supportfor the leg or foot is spring loaded and the tilt of the rest isautomatically adjusted to the ergonomics of the seat occupant. Thesupport process involved is in each instance spring-assisted; the springassistance may also be present exclusively to assist leg support or footsupport.

[0024] As is to be seen in FIG. 2 in particular, the bottom side of thesupport arm 40 represents a stop surface 52 for the footrest 42. As isalso to be seen in FIG. 4, the plate-like footrest 42 is provided withknob-like raised areas 54 which permit a sort of massage function in theevent that the seat occupant has removed his/her shoes and uses thefootrest 42 accordingly. As FIG. 2 also shows, the shaft 50 ishinge-connected between support arm 40 and rest 42,44 to the supportflanges 48 so that the latter are displaced backward slightly relativeto the ankle joint of the respective seat occupant. This has been foundto be especially user-friendly.

[0025] The support arm 40 has two shanks 56,58 mounted at an assignableangle to each other; these elements define between them an obtuse angle,preferably one with a value of 135°. The shank 58 facing toward the seatframe support 20 is hinge-connected to the latter by way of a rotaryelement 60 with integrated locking feature. In the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 the rotary part 60 in question withintegrated locking feature is hinge-connected directly to the upperfront cross-brace 26 of the vehicle seat. Preferably, however, as in theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary element 60 is an integralcomponent of a flange-like coupling piece 62, which in turn is rigidlyconnected at its end opposite the rotary element 60 to the cross brace26. As a result of the accompanying projection determined by thecoupling flange 62, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular,the support arm 40 with rests 42,44 may be swung backward in thedirection of the pair of front supports 30 so that the rest comes to bepositioned behind the front edge of the seat of the seat element 40. Ifthe rest is needed again, it may be returned clockwise to a serviceposition from the storage position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 into which therest was swung away counterclockwise. The support arm 40 with rests42,44 may be stopped in a specific position by way of the rotary element40 with integrated locking feature divided into specific steps.

[0026] The locking feature in the steps referred to may havesubdivisions such that virtually continuous setting is guaranteed forthe rests 42,44. The support arm 40 with associated rests 42,44, inturn, may be designed as a lightweight structure preferably made of analuminum material, this being a significant factor especially inaircraft construction. Because of the mounting of the rests 42,44 so asto be pivotable around the shaft 50 and in view of the plurality ofpivot positions in relation to the rotary element 60, a large number ofoptions for adaptation to the particular seat occupant are provided andmay also be changed during operation, so that distinct increase inseating comfort in the sense of dynamic seating is achieved. Inaddition, the layout claimed for the invention is well suited for aresting position of the seat occupant, for example, when the occupant issleeping. Because of the complete pivoting away of the rests by way ofthe support arm 40, these rests are not in the occupant's way if theoccupant does not need them and in the event of an accident may besecurely stored away and thus contain no accident risk. The layoutillustrated is suitable especially in view of its space-saving designfor aircraft passenger seats and for seats in commercial vehicles suchas buses.

1. A vehicle seat for aircraft and motor vehicles with a backrest (10)and a seat component (14) which is supported by a seat frame support(20) connectable to a vehicle floor (22), with at least one support arm(40) having on its one free end a pivoting combined footrest (42) andlegrest (44) as particular surfaces of a bracing component (45),exclusively the footrest (42) being produced with one type of possiblepivot positions and exclusively the legrest (44) being produced withanother type of possible pivot positions, characterized in that theparticular support arm (40) is hinge-connected and lockable inassignable positions at its other free end on the seat frame support(20) and in that the footrest (42) and/or legrest (44) is/are mounted onopposite surfaces of the bracing component (45).
 2. The vehicle seat asspecified in claim 1, wherein the support arm (40) with the footrest(42) and/or legrest (44) is/are mounted rearward beneath the backrest(10) on the seat frame support (20) or forward in the leg area of theseat occupant.
 3. The vehicle seat as specified in claim 1 or 2, whereinthe legrest (44) is designed as a calfrest.
 4. The vehicle seat asspecified in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein only one support arm (40) isprovided, which in its center is pivot connected to the footrest (42)and/or legrest (44).
 5. The vehicle seat as specified in claim 4,wherein there are present on the footrest (42) two retaining flanges(48) opposite each other through which extends a shaft (50) of thesupport arm (40) and which between them receive the free end of thesupport arm (40).
 6. The vehicle seat as specified in claim 5, whereinthe bottom side of the support arm (40) is in the form of a stop surface(52) for the footrest (42).
 7. The vehicle seat as specified in one ofclaims 1 to 6, wherein at least the footrest (42) is provided withraised areas (54) so that a kind of massage function is performed forthe particular seat occupant.
 8. The vehicle seat as specified in one ofclaims 1 to 7, wherein the support arm (40) has two shanks (56, 58)mounted at an assignable angle relative to each other and wherein theshank (58) facing the seat frame support (20) is pivot mounted on thelatter by way of a rotary component (60) with locking feature.
 9. Thevehicle seat as specified in claim 8, wherein a coupling element (62) ofthe seat frame support (20) is additionally provided for the rotaryelement (60) with locking feature.
 10. The vehicle seat as specified inone of claims 1 to 9, wherein the swiveling range between the two typesof swiveling positions amounts to a minimum of 135°.